Hello,

I have Non-O retirement visa with extension. I recently marry outside Thailand to another foreign person. What is process for adding new wife to retirement visa as dependent?

I read on websites I can add in Thailand or at Thai Embassy outside. Is one way easier than other way? What documentation is required? Anything documents need special stamps from my government (at embassy maybe) to authenticate documents or do I need Thai translations?

Thank you for your help and advice!

To avoid confusion I've made a small edit to the topic title.

I believe you can find a lot of good info in the topic that I started here, when I was getting married to my foreign wife: 

 

 

34 minutes ago, cheddarburger said:

 I recently marry outside Thailand to another foreign person

Is wife 50+ 

Here is thread with advice from ubonjoe. Disregard the parts that reference insurance requirement (covid times) 

She needs to enter Thailand with a non O 

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1245491-dependant-spouse-with-extension-to-stay-based-on-retirement/

Sadly you can't get a Non-O visa issued for "trailing spouse" to a foreigner on a "retirement visa" inside the country
AND the only consulate that used to sell them (Penang) stopped..  😕

What I have seen "creative" agencies do 😮 is get the trailing spouse a non-ED visa for 90 days, get ONE extension on it based on education (because the first extension has to be for the reason it's issued) THEN what they do is "CHANGE THE REASON" for the extension from education to "trailing spouse". 😛

There are reports agencies are doing it for people in Pattaya and Phuket. Never seen it in bangkok or Chiang Mai though

One thing you WILL need to do is get that marriage to a foreigner certified by the embassy of the country you married in  because without that you can't get the "trailing spouse" extension against your retirement visa

That's IF the embassy of the country you married in here will do it. FWIW; the UK and US embassies won't certify marriages anymore. You have to send it back to those countries and do the process there, get them stamped by the thai embassy there and then sent back here)..

Hated to be the bearer of bad news but that "trailing spouse" Non-O is a TOUGH visa to get, no consulate in S/E Asia will issue it for a person married to a retirement visa holder 😕

Use a Pattaya agent. 

21 hours ago, Tod Daniels said:

What I have seen "creative" agencies do 😮 is get the trailing spouse a non-ED visa for 90 days, get ONE extension on it based on education (because the first extension has to be for the reason it's issued) THEN what they do is "CHANGE THE REASON" for the extension from education to "trailing spouse". 😛

 

Priced this option out in Pattaya.  Didn't use this option but just for general info, the cost from a well known agency at that time was 39k baht total (for 6 months non-ED plus dependent visa).

 

Know someone who did use the option and hasn't had a problem with it, or renewing it.  However, their spouse never left Thailand came back through airport immigration, which seems to be the real acid test for...'creative' agency solutions.

On 2/2/2024 at 12:59 PM, cheddarburger said:

Hello,

I have Non-O retirement visa with extension. I recently marry outside Thailand to another foreign person. What is process for adding new wife to retirement visa as dependent?

I read on websites I can add in Thailand or at Thai Embassy outside. Is one way easier than other way? What documentation is required? Anything documents need special stamps from my government (at embassy maybe) to authenticate documents or do I need Thai translations?

Thank you for your help and advice!

I have just completed this however I and my wife are British, so I don't know if it is the same for you both. All that was needed was our marriage certificate had to be authenticated at the British home office UK then sent to Thai Embassy London for Certification. Both enter Thailand on a 90 day Non O visa with 800,000 in the bank. I suppose your wife needs the Non O to qualify. We are in Chiangmai. 

On 2/3/2024 at 3:53 PM, les1 said:

I have just completed this however I and my wife are British, so I don't know if it is the same for you both. All that was needed was our marriage certificate had to be authenticated at the British home office UK then sent to Thai Embassy London for Certification. Both enter Thailand on a 90 day Non O visa with 800,000 in the bank. I suppose your wife needs the Non O to qualify. We are in Chiangmai. 

 

Hello,

 

Thank you to all for responses.  Big problem seems to be Thailand not a part of 1961 Hague Apostille treaty.  So it look like I need document authenticated by home government, then Thai Embassy at home, like you did.  Problem is, we are here now, not there!  Thailand such mess sometimes.  I think maybe I Thai Embassy can authenticate and then I can bring to Thai MFA confirm.  Then after all that, maybe can use at immigration to change visa type.

Hello all,

 

I have a follow up question.  I now have the marriage certificate from overseas.  It was sent for "legalization/certification" by Thai Embassy in the country where we were married.

 

We are here in Thailand and not in that country.  What is net step? Do we exit Thailand and take legalized marriage certificate to embassy in any country to get Non-O for spouse?

 

One person above said cannot get in any embassy in SE Asia, but not sure why.  For example,  if I married to Vietnamese woman in Vietnam, why cannot get spouse dependent visa in Vietnam?  Seem like that example must be possible.  My case different of course, but now have legal certified marriage documents from Thai Embassy complete.

 

Thank you for advice!